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Monday, September 17, 2018

Souvenirs To Buy In Europe



We are counting down the days until we leave for the cruise we booked over a year ago.  Half of the fun of going on vacation is the planning and anticipation.  We had a year to plan and spent hours researching every port and every city we will be in during our 12 day Mediterranean cruise.  We want to make sure we don't miss seeing something while we are in Europe because we might not ever get back there and to these countries again.  Besides for what we have to see and eat (like gelato!) I started thinking about what souvenirs we should look for in each of the countries we will be visiting.  We don't want to come back with a suitcase full of magnets and tee shirts!

One thing for sure that we will be bringing back is beautiful Murano glass.  My sister brought me back a beautiful Murano glass necklace when she visited Italy and I would love to bring her, and the other girls on my list, something as beautiful.  We have an excursion booked to take a boat ride to the island of Murano in Venice just so I can go shopping there!

Besides for the Murano glass we will want to bring back other memories of our vacation.  This is our list of things to look for in the 5 amazing countries we will visit.

In Spain (Barcelona) we will look for:

Turron - is a nutty confection or nougat that can be soft or brittle.  I'm sure I will sample each of them then bring both types home because they sound sweet and delicious.



Espadrilles -  These are traditional cloth shoes made of tough Mediterranean grass.  I read that Tyra Banks buys hers in Barcelona.

Vermouth - I will be looking for the bodegas that sell their own blended Vermouth (vermut casero) mixed with a variety of spices.

Spanish cava - is a wine with no added sugars.  I heard that Brut Extra was a popular choice.

Caganer figurines - This is a small figurine of a man pooping (sorry!).  It represents the equality of all men.  You will find these figures in nativity scenes at Christmas.  I'm not sure if I will bring one home, but I definitely want to see one!


Barca Football Club items - We call it soccer in the US.  I think a couple of the guys on our list might like a jersey so we will keep a look out for them.

In France (Nice) we will look for:

Santons - They are small earthenware figurines that, like the Caganer figurines are used to decorate nativity scenes.



Herbes de Provence - When we are back home, miles away from the French Riveria we can still enjoy the flavors of Provencal cuisine.  I have a few people in mind that would love a package of this mixture of dried herbs.

Terre e Provence -  Beautiful, colorful handmade ceramic pottery.  I know I'm going to want to bring back at least one piece!

Soap - I have been seeing so many posts raving about the soap.  I definitely will not be happy with myself if I didn't bring back at least one bar.



Lavendar bags - This is a typical souvenir of this region.  My luggage will smell heavenly if I buy a few of these!



Local household linen - This is another item that seems to be a typical souvenir.  I will have to at least find a shop that sells them to have a look.  I think they may be a bit too expensive for our budget though.

Olive dish This sounds really unique.  It is a special serving dish that is separated into 3 parts.  One for the olive, one for the toothpicks and one for the pits.



Le Petit Prince - I would like to find a copy of one of France's most loved fairy tales.  It would make a great addition to the library we have in our home for our grandson.

In Italy (Florence, Rome, Almalfi Coast, Venice) we will look for:

Pottery - Italian pottery is handmade, hand-painted ceramic works of art.  They are beautiful and colorful kitchenware.   I think they would make a very appreciated gift to bring back.  I know that I will not be able to come home without a plate or cup for myself.

Murano glass - We are going to the direct source of this beautiful glass when we visit Murano, but I know we can find this all over Italy.  Besides for the glass jewelry, which I know we will be buying, we also will be looking at the other unique, hand-made items made with this glass.  We will be keeping an eye out for the letters PRC on any of the glass items as this will tell us it is not authentic.  All of the glass should actually come with certificates of authenticity if they are Murano.


Chocolate - Perugina, Caffarel and Venchi chocolates are a must for me to bring back...for myself!  I heard you can get these chocolates wrapped in beautiful packages so it will definitely be a nice souvenir for that person who cannot fit one more knick-knack into their homes!



Salt - I heard there are salts in Italy that you can't find in the US like truffle-speckled.  This would make a unique gift.

Pinocchio - dolls and other toys with his image.  I have a couple of kids on my list.  Our bags will probably be filled with Pinocchios!



Carnival masks - are beautiful, I heard, and we can find them all over Venice.  I will probably look for pins or something a little smaller than an actual mask to bring home though.

Torrone - is a nougat made with honey and nuts.  I will be looking for cream colored candies and not white ones that are sweetened with sugar instead of honey.



In Montenegro (Kotor) we will look for:

Wine - Native home-made wine to buy here, and the most famous, are Vranac which is a red wine and for white wine lovers Krstac would be the choice.  The best brand sounds like it would be Plantaze.

Brandy - A very popular drink is rakija.  People of Montenegro often have a shot of this drink in the morning, but more often they have it when they are eating a snack of prosciutto and cheese.

Brojanica - This is a bracelet that doubles as a prayer rope, similar to rosary beads.  It is woven from sheep's wool to remind people that "they are only the lambs of the Lord."


Kapa - This is an authentic Montenegrin cap.  The black on it hints of a beautiful past and the red represents the bloodshed in removing the Ottoman hold on the country.

In Croatia (Split) we will look for:

Ties - I just found out from doing this research that Croatia is where the tie was invented.  There is a well known tie shop in Split, called Croata, where we can buy ties.  I saw a picture of one that had the Glagolitic alphabet* in the design.  This would make a very unique and very nice gift.
*The Glagolitic alphabet is an ancient slavic alphabet that was created in 9th century and used for over 1,000 years.  These letters can be seen on many different souvenirs you can buy in Croatia.

Licitar heart - These are heart shaped honey cookies you give to show your love to someone.  They are beautifully decorated and people use them to decorate their Christmas trees.

(Couldn't find the cookie but I am sure this ceramic replica will bring back wonderful memories!)

Croatian wattle - It is a special design found on many churches.  We can buy crosses with this design on them in Christian souvenir shops.

Sibeviks button - This is rarely used as a button but can be found on jewelry.  The button is hollow on the inside and beautifully ornamented on the outside.



Kras candy - Their specialty is Bajadera which is a nougat candy.  They also make delicious pralines (Griotte) and milk chocolate (Dorina).

Morcic - This is a Croatian good luck charm.  It is a black head wearing a turban or plume.  It is usually found on earrings, rings, pins and brooches.

Linolada - I took note of this snack because I know my daughter will love it as it supposedly is "even better than Nutella"!



I like to buy ornaments when we are on vacation to display on our Christmas tree.  I love seeing them once a year and reminiscing about the trip.  I will try to find one in each of the five countries.   I know the ornament I will buy in Croatia will be the Licitar heart.  Another memory jolter for me is music.  I will try my best to buy some kind of CD that will bring back memories of our vacation.

I am thinking that I might also be looking for a bigger suitcase.  Either that or we'll just plan another trip so I can finish my shopping.

Note:  We are back so I am updating this post with pictures.  We actually found, and bought, lots of these souvenirs!



Monday, September 10, 2018

Packing For Our 12 Day Mediterranean Cruise

Are you packing for a long international cruise? We share what we packed for our 12 day cruise so that you can compare your list to ours!

Read this post, The Pros and Cons of a Mediterranean Cruise, to see what we thought of our Mediterranean Cruise vacation. 

We only have two weeks to go until we are in Barcelona, Spain starting our 40th Anniversary Dream Vacation.  (I made a title for our trip because it's that special to us!!)  We have never been on a 12 day cruise before, or in the Mediterranean, but we have been cruising.  If you have never been on a cruise but would like to one day, this post will definitely be helpful to you.  If you have been on a cruise, I might have some things on my list that is not on yours.  Please, please if you have something on your list that is not on mine, please share that info with us!

The first thing I think about when I'm packing for a cruise is bringing a carry on bag onto the ship.  The first time me and Soko went cruising we had no idea of how getting into our room or getting our  luggage worked.  So we wound up wandering around the boat in dress clothes for a couple of hours until our clothes arrived and we could get into our bathing suits.  Now, I just wear my bathing suit  under my dress, and pack Soko's in our carry on, so that we can relax by the pool until our rooms are ready and our suitcases are at our door.

Carry On/Cruise Bag - Folder containing our  travel documents and itinerary. 
Travel Documents - are our SetSail passes and a document regarding the cruise ticket contract and onboard expense account that needs to be signed in two places.  (We received the passes and document when we checked into our cruise a couple of weeks ago online.  We printed them up along with luggage tags that are available to you after you do the online check in.)
Itinerary - includes our own notes, pre-purchased admission tickets (Vatican Museum, Sagrada Familia, etc.) and information about the excursions we purchased from the cruise line.   And
passports (important to have with you on any cruise just in case you have to fly back unexpectedly from a cruise port.  Note:  It's a good idea to make a copy of your passport and keep it in a safe spot in your suitcase), Soko's bathing trunkswallet, phone, sunscreen, sunglasses, head covering, reading material (Kindle), iPodcamera.  
Note:  Pack whatever meds you need in this bag, also, as you never know how long it will be before
           you see your luggage.  And make sure you don't forget your motion sickness pills, sea bands,
           ginger, patches or whatever it was you decided to use to prevent getting ill if the boat is
           rocking a bit too much.  I use the sea bands and haven't gotten sick on a cruise.  I did feel a
           little queasy looking out of the porthole when we got an oceanview room once so now we just
           stick to reserving an inside stateroom when booking a cruise.

Anti-theft crossbody bag (for me) and anti-theft backpack (for Soko) - It is better to be safe than sorry.  Our bags have locking zippers and are slash proof.

Foreign Currency - We will be using our Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card whenever we can as there is no transaction fee to use it.  But we would not feel comfortable if we didn't have some Euros in our wallets.  The most expensive place to exchange money is at the airport so we went to AAA (we are members) and exchanged a few dollars there.

Sim Card - I looked into getting international service with my carrier, Verizon.  It would cost me $10.00 a day.  My sister did this and called to cancel a couple of days into her Switzerland vacation because she was having a hard time using it somehow.  When we went to Japan 3 years ago, my brother got me a portable wifi device that I paid over $100.00 for but it worked great.  For this trip we are trying the sim card option. We found a card that works in most European countries and costs $30.00.   I will put the chip into my iphone when we get to Europe and we should be good to go.  We will be able to make calls and text to any phone with a UK number and we will have 12 GB of data.  We're buying this to make sure we have always have wifi with us to access Google maps.  (I will get back to you on how this option worked out for us.)
Note:  I will definitely be getting the sim card again when we travel to Ireland next year.  It didn't work when we were cruising at sea or in Montenegro but worked perfectly everywhere else and the 12 GB was more than enough data for our 2 week vacation.

Chargers - phone, Kindle, iPod and fitbit.
Note:  Also, portable phone charger.

Umbrella -and/or ponchos.

Clothes - Every cruise line has their own description for each of these categories of dress.  We have cruised on Royal Caribbean and Carnival.  Carnival has a more relaxed description of what kind of dress is allowed in the dining rooms compared to Royal Caribbean.   This is what works for us on either cruise line.
When the dress code for dinner is either casual wear or smart casual, I will wear white or black jeans or capris and a nice top and dress shoes.  Soko will wear khakis and a polo or button down short sleeve shirt and loafers.  When the dress code is formal, Soko will wear a suit and tie and dress shoes.  I will wear a cocktail dress and heals.  There are opportunities, on formal nights, to take lots of formal photos.  We would like to get a nice picture of  the two of us to remember this special vacation and our 40th anniversary.  On this cruise there will be more than one formal night and we decided that we would just wear the same formal wear again.  During the day, anything goes around the ship except for bare feet.  Also, ladies need to cover up their bathing suit.
Don't forget your sandals, sneakers, walking shoes, etcSome excursions suggest wearing water shoes.  Read the fine print of the excursion you purchased for helpful hints.
Note:  I find it to be very cold on the ship.  I always make sure to pack a dressy sweater and a casual sweater or jacket.

Wrinkle Release Spray.  You won't find an iron in your stateroom.  I am bringing some spray just in case we need to release some wrinkles from our clothes.
Note:   I don't have one yet but I am adding a portable steamer to this list as a reader suggested.  I think it's a great idea and will probably have one by our next cruise.

Toiletries.  We all have our lists of what we need to have in our toiletry bags.  I know I have mine.  I will say, though, that if you are not fussy about the shampoo, conditioner or body wash you use, you won't have to bring your own as there will be dispensers in the tiny shower in your cabin.  Also, you can leave your hairdryer at home.
Note:  The smaller ship and Barcelona hotel didn't have conditioner so I have added it to my cruise packing list.

Hangers.  There are usually 3 or 4 tiny drawers in the small cabins of the cruise ship but a decent size closet.  After we have used every hanger in the closet there is room left to hang more clothes but no more hangers.   I am bringing hangers on this cruise so I won't have to try to stuff my clothes into the small drawers and will throw the hangers out after I am finished using them.  The room the hangers take up in my suitcase is the extra room I can use for souvenirs!
Note:  We were on the smallest cruise ship we have ever been on, but our room had a few more drawers and a good amount of hangers.  We did use a couple of our own hanger though.

Foldable Travel Bag.   I have a bag that folds into a pouch when I'm not using it.  I use this as my carry on bag when I need to when I'm flying and it's a good size.  I'll pack this bag, folded, in my suitcase on our flight to Europe, then carry it on the plane, filled with goodies, on our flight back home. 

Travel guide.  I am using Rick Steves' guide to Mediterranean cruise ports.  There are maps in this book along with everything we need to know about most of the ports we be sailing into.  It also has information about the major cities you can get to from each port.  We have used this book to create most of our itinerary.  I am bringing it for the maps and to look over the chapter, in the evening, of the port we will be arriving into in the morning.

Vacation Journal.  I will bring a journal with me and try to jot down all the little details, every evening, about the trip while they are fresh in my mind.   It's fun to read these notes later and can be a helpful guide for a friend who is planning a similar trip.  To take notes during the day, I will use the Notes App on my iPhone.  The voice feature makes this way of taking notes much easier than carrying around the journal all day.

No matter how many lists I have made and how many times I have checked that I have everything, I know I will still leave the house feeling like I forgot something!

You might want to read these posts before you go on your vacation.









Hope this post helps you with packing for your Mediterranean Cruise and hope you have an amazing time!


Monday, September 3, 2018

Grandma and Grandpa's Library


This post is sponsored by Precious Moments.  All opinions are my own.

We will have to get a crib and a highchair and a few other things for our home because when our grandchildren come to visit it won't be for a few hours, it will be for a few days.   Besides for the necessities, we want our grandchildren to have fond memories of the fun things that were in  Grandma's and Grandpa's house just for them.   Our kids have those memories of my parent's snowbird home in Florida.

My mom was an amazingly crafty person and displayed her beautiful creations on the low shelves in her dining room.   She put them there for her grand kids to enjoy and she loved when they would ask questions about them.

My older son, Joe, loved the umbrellas she made out of lotto tickets and cigarette packages.  He remembers how he was so impressed with how no two umbrellas were alike.  He has fun memories of  spending hours trying to figure out how the many different patterns were made.


My dad built a small table for the kids in their screen room.  Under the table was a box of toys.  Lisa would be so excited to get to the crayons she knew would be in the cigar box in that toy chest.   After quick hugs for Grandma and Grandpa, this was the first place she would head when we arrived at their home.

We all loved playing cards with Grandma and Grandpa every night after dinner.  They also had other games around their house.  Mike knew where to find all of grandma's hand held games and it never took him long to make his way to the cabinet in the living room.  His favorite was Yahtzee and Grandma knew that.  Most of the time, the game would be out and waiting for him before we arrived.

We're hoping our grandchildren will remember all the fun they had when they visited us in our snowbird home.  One memory we want them to have is one of Grandma and Grandpa's library.  We hope they will remember that some of their favorite books were on those shelves.  We hope they remember listening as we read to them just like we read to our own children.  I can still remember how Lisa would need to turn the book upside down every time we got to the page where Grover from Sesame Street was standing on his head.

Our first grandchild is only 4 months old but we read to him, already, when we are in NY visiting.  Baby Boy hasn't visited us yet but will be in a couple of months.   Most of the books we have in our little library are older and have been waiting quite a while to be read.   We hope to add a few new books before he makes his first visit.

Our collection includes a couple of stories that were told to me when I was a child.  My mom was Japanese so I grew up hearing all the Japanese fairy tales and loved all of them.  I bought my favorites when I spotted them in the stores on our trips to Japan.  I can't wait to sit with Baby Boy and read the story of Momotaro the Peach Boy to him.


We had a very large collection of books for our kids.  We weren't going to have the room in our smaller home to keep all of these books so we could only pick a handful to bring along with us.  We hope that our grandchildren will enjoy these books as much as their parent did.


Before I retired three years ago, I was a TA for twenty years in a wonderful nursery school.  My favorite activity to do with our 4 year olds was to read to them.  I don't know who enjoyed story time more, me or the preschoolers.  Sometimes, while I was reading, I pictured myself reading the same books to my grand kids.  One of my favorite books to read, and one of the favorites of our students was Magpie Magic.  I heard shouts of "Again!  Again!" every time I read it.  This book has no words so the story is up to the interpretation of the reader.  I wasn't able to offer the opportunity for one of the kids to "read" this book to the class but I imagined asking my grandchild to read it to me.


A new book, that we just added to our library, is one I am so looking forward to reading to our grandchildren.  Precious Moments Little Book of Bible Stories has some of my favorite bible stories in it.  The nativity story and David and Goliath is what I was sure would be included and they were.  I was hoping to see the "miracle of the five loaves and two fish" as I flipped through the book and it was!  It's a little boy that helps to save the day by offering his lunch to feed thousands of people.  What child wouldn't be impressed with that!


The stories are short and sweet with colorful illustrations.   It's also a chunky book so no worries for grandma or grandchild.   Chunky books are great for standing up to being handled by even the youngest child.  I have easily wiped off plenty of sticky fingerprints from these types of books.   It will look brand new for a very long time.  This book would make a great Grandparent's Day (September 9) gift for any grandparent to start or to add to their library.


We are having so much fun finding and buying the perfect books to add to our library.  At the rate we are going, our small snowbird home will be needing an addition very soon!

Do you have favorites that you and your children/grandchildren enjoy reading together?  We would love to hear about them!